Radiant heating panels



E. P. PETERSEN ETAL 2,781,440

RADI ANT HEATING PANELS Feb. 1i, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1954 Em 4 d 5 5 6% J a t. hm d Q U W 4 fi Y A H w) l fl LEA j 1 4 z y f 4 V I M flfi p I J 1 I1 1 i. m

1957 E. P. PETERSEN ETAL 2,781,449

RADIANT HEATING PANELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct 19, 1954 F61). 12, 1957 PETERSEN r 2,781,440

RADIANT HEATING PANELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 19, 1954 T iam 2 Eie/ 752%2522 orolcf e 7T2 14/222, 6

United States Patent RADIANT HEATING PANELS Erwin Peter Petersen, Milford, N. J., and Harold Le Roy Whitney, New York, N. Y., assignors to Continental Radiant Glass Heating Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application ()ctober 19, 1954, Serial No. 463,118

Claims. (Cl. 219-34) This invention relates to heating apparatus and particularly to an improved space heating panel adapted for wall or ceiling mounting.

Our novel heating panel is of the same general type as that shown in Lamb Patent 2,536,648, but is an improvement over the structure described and claimed therein. In the Lamb panel, the sub-frame in which the metalized glass heating element is mounted is hinged to the main frame and ceramic buttons are used to prevent metal-to-metal contact between the sub-frame and the heating element and between the sub-frame and the main frame due to bowing or bulging of the sub-frame. We have eliminated the hinges and the ceramic buttons (which are unsightly because they show throughthe glass) and have provided a neater appearing and more rugged panel that is cheaper to produce and easier to service.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved space heating panel utilizing a sheettype heating element. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved heating panel shown mounted on a wall;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the sub-frame assembly showing the relation of the parts making up that assemy;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form of panel; and

Fig. 7 is a view along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, it may be seen that our improved panel comprises a main frame it) and a sub-frame 12. The main frame may be set into a wall as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, such that substantially flush mounting of the panel is achieved, or it may be mounted entirely outwardly of the wall section. The frame 10 is preferably made of metal, either steel or aluminum, and is of dished rectangular form, the cavity thereof receiving the sub-frame assembly which will be now described.

As is apparent from Fig. 4, the sub-frame assembly consists of a frame member 14 of rectangular shape having bent-over flanges 16 provided with ventilating openings 18. The member 14 is preferably of metal and bulged along intersecting lines 20 as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. This bulging greatly increases the rigidity of the member and prevents it from bowing under influence of expansion due to heat into contact with the heating element, which action might cause a short circuit.

2,781,440 Patented Feb. 12, 1957 A cut-out 22 is provided in the back of the frame 14 for passage of connecting wires.

The heating element 24 is, in the embodiment shown, a metalized glass plate of the type shown and described in the aforesaid Lamb patent, but any type of heating element of sheet form may be used. The element 24 is mounted in the frame 14 by means of four corner pieces 26. The latter (see Fig. 2) are of ceramic or refractory material, and each has a depressed angle portion into which is disposed a suitably shaped piece of resilient material 28. The pad 28 ispreferably of synthetic rubber or plastic mixed with silicone or other substance such that it is not adversely affected by heat.

The corner pieces 26 fit into the cut-out corner portions 30 of the frame member 14, and the glass plate 24 is mounted in the depressed angle portions thereof. A second sub-frame member 32 of rectangular form is then fitted over the assembly. The frame member 32 has a depending flange 34 which is adapted to partly overlap the flanges 16 of member 14 as shown in Fig. 2. The frame members 14 and 32 are retained in assembled relation by a plurality of small screws 35 which engage the flanges 16 and 34. i The entire sub-assembly is mounted in the main frame 10 on corner posts 36 which are welded or otherwise suitably fastened in the dished portion thereof. A single screw 38 is inserted through the frame 32, the corner piece 26, the frame 14, and into a threaded opening in the corner post 36 at each corner of the assembly. Tightening of the screws 38 rigidly secures all of the various parts together, and a simple and rugged panel assembly results. The connecting Wires (not shown) for the heating element 24 are, of course, pushed through the opening 22 when the parts are assembled.

The structure described is extremely simple, has fewer parts than previous designs and is easier to service. By removing the screws 38, the sub-frame assembly is readily removed for inspection or repair; and if the heating element needs to be replaced, removal of the screws 35 permits all of the parts to be easily and quickly removed.

When the element 24 is energized, expansion of all of the parts under influence of heat occurs. The expansion and contraction of the plate 24 and the corner pieces 26 due to heating and cooling is very small because of the nature of the material and is readily accommodated by the resilient pads 28. Because of the bulged form of the frame member 14, heat expansion tends only to slightly extend the bulge in a direction away from the plate 24 so possibility of contact with the plate is nil.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the heating plate 24 is mounted in spaced relation to the frame member 14 and the sub-frame assembly is, in turn, mounted in spaced relation to the main frame 10. While the heating panel is intended to heat by radiation primarily, considerable convection heating is also present and the panel is designed to take full advantage of the convection currents. The openings 18 in the flange 16 of member 14 permit air to circulate in the space between the plate 24 and the member 14 thereby permitting a rising convection current of air to remove heat from back of the plate and circulate through the space being heated. Similarly air can circulate in the space between the main frame and the sub-frame, and similar convection currents rise from the panel from this source. Besides increasing the heating efficiency of the panel, the convection air currents prevent overheating of the panel because of trapped air.

The bottom of the frame member 14 and that of the main frame 10 is preferably polished thereby to function as a reflector which increases the radiant effect of the panel.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of the invention which includes a folding drying rack for drying lingerie, towels, etc. In these figures, the panel 40 is designed to be mounted on the outer portion of the Wall like a picture and the frame 42 has a decorative peripheral flange which fits flush with thewall. The sub-frame 44 and heating plate 46 are similar to thoseshown in Figs. 1 to inclusive. the front portion 48 of the frame 42 is provided with a pairof apertures each having mounted therein a metal or plastic grommet 50 (see Fig. 7).

A rack 52 is removably mounted in the grommets. The rack is formed of metal rod and is preferably chrome plated. It is generally of U-shape and has a central horizontal portion 54, parallel legs 56 and an intermediate rod portion 58. The legs 56 are bent as shown such that the front portion of the rack lies in a plane parallel to and below that of the rear portion when the rack is in horizontal position. The inner ends of the legs 56 are bent to provide bearing portions. 60 which engage the inner surface of the top frame portion thereby to maintain the rack in horizontal position. When the rack is not being used, it may be folded into a position parallel to the panel front surface by lifting the portion 54 and sliding the legs through the grommets 50 until the shoulders 62 engage the grommets with the legs in vertical po' sition.

It will thus be seen that we have provided an improved heating panel of simple and economical construction that is easy to install and service. The modification is particularly useful in bathrooms where the drying rack may be used to advantage.

We claim:

1. A radiant heating sub-panel comprising, a rectangular sheet-like frame member having outwardly bent flanges along each of its marginal edges, a sheet-like heating element mounted in said frame member in spaced relation thereto, a hollow rectangular frame member having inwardly bent flanges along its entire inner and outer marginal edges, said hollow frame member being disposed in mating relation with said sheet-like frame member such that the outer flange of the former overlaps the flanges of the latter and the inner flange of the hollow frame engages the heating element continuously along its marginal edge thereby to retain it in place.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein elements of refractory material are disposed at each corner of said heating element between said element and said sheet-like frame for maintaining spaced relationship therebetween.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the flanges of said sheet-like frame member are provided with ventilating openings for permitting circulation of convection air currents between said heating element and said frame.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottom of said sheet-like frame is bulged in a direction away from said heating element.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a third frame member of sheet-like form having a dished central portion and means for mounting said sub-panel within the dished portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,525,850 Anderson Oct. 17, 1950 2,536,648 Lamb Jan. 2, 1951 2,613,308 La Mirand Oct. 7, 1952 2,668,220 Spurr Feb. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,463 Great Britain -z Feb. 18, 1948 

